Nigeria on path to digital economy as Google launches free Wi-FI service

In a bid to make internet more accessible and increase Nigerians’ online presence, Google has launched a network of free Wi-Fi hotspots in Nigeria.

The United States technology company said it would provide its public Wi-Fi service, Google Stations, to reach out to Nigerians in 200 locations across five cities by the end of 2019.

This was disclosed on Thursday during the launching of Google Station for Nigeria at the second Google for Nigeria event in Lagos.

Google, which did not mention the amount invested in the project, said it would generate revenue from the service by placing Google adverts in the login portal, adding that the proceeds would be shared with its partners to help them maintain and deploy the Wi-Fi service.

Google Nigeria Country Director, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, while speaking at the event, said the initiative, which was aimed at allowing Nigerians benefit from the digital economy, was in partnership with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) with extensive fibre network, adding that the company was willing to partner with other ISPs.

“Google Station will be rolling out in 200 locations in five cities across Nigeria by the end of 2019, bringing Wi-Fi to millions of people. Sites include markets, transport hubs, shopping malls, universities, and more.

“We are starting in Lagos with four sites, and the commitment is to expand to 200 sites across five cities in Nigeria by 2019. There are opportunities that are available once people get online and are able to consume information,” Ehimuan-Chiazor said.

The technology company said the project is targeted at countries with growing population, adding that Nigeria was the fifth country to get Google Station, after India, Indonesia, Thailand and Mexico.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with a population of about 190 million people, is estimated to be the world’s third most populous nation by 2050 after China and India.

According to a data by World Bank, about 25.7 percent of Nigerians used internet in 2016, a proportion considered low when compared with other countries of the world.

The poor internet access occasioned by unreliable or unaffordable broadband services has become a major challenge to many businesses which are dependent on the internet.

According to Google’s Vice President for products management, Anjali Joshi, the initiative would soon be extended to other African countries.